Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Pogo Dock

On Thursday, one of our readers noticed that the Galaxy Nexus Pogo Dock was available to be ordered, so naturally, we jumped on it. Ours arrived this morning and we have already had enough time to play with it a bit and put together this video to give you guys a sense of its worth. As one of the more expensive docks we have ever seen, it must do something extraordinarily special, right? Not so much.

The build quality is of the highest, the device fits snuggly, and it does indeed charge through the 3-pins on the side of the device. The clock app launches automatically when docked and you can plug in headphones or a 3.5mm cable to play music externally. You can hook it directly up to a PC, but it doesn’t initiate the file transfer protocol and you can’t use adb. The extended battery does fit. Cases, probably not so much. So is it worth buying?

At $90, this sucker is not cheap. With its lack of HDMI-out like the portrait dock that may some day arrive, it would be tough for me to tell anyone to jump all over this. In the back of my mind, something keeps telling me that the price has to drop when it hits Amazon or Verizon or some other outlet. While I can see myself using this by the bed or on my desk every single day, $90 is a bit much.

Does it charge at USB rate even when using AC adapter? I turned my Droid X car dock into a 3 pin dock and can only get it to charge at USB rate which doesn’t cut it when using navigation and streaming Pandora on a road trip. It just barely keeps the phone charged even with a 2.5 amp car charger, still testing. Maybe this is why they haven’t released a car dock?

Levi Wilcox

Just got my dock… for 90$ I didn’t even get a charging cord?! I expected a 3.5mm audio cord as well as the charging cord and it comes with neither?! Can anyone else confirm?

Migamix

a special for my DX. car dock, desk dock, hdmi cable, and charger… for 20 bucks… what makes you think after ive already spent about 200 on accessories and batteries ( stock battery a joke) for my gnex that im willing to yank the case off my seidio battery.. remove that battery and put the stock one back in just to use this dock that has no other functions but to hold the phone on its side… i have a cheaper solution i use at work… from some of my legos (yes, im over 40)
all i want is the pinout spec on the docking pins… ill handle the rest

We all just want to know the hardware specs of those 3 pins. How much current can you charge with over them? What kind of witchcraft can take power in and put stereo audio out over only 3 pins?!?! (or is there bluetooth involved?)

Tony Romano

Sucks because I go to bed every night watching Netflix on an awesome screen. I’ve been waiting for this since launch, but my OG dock was only $50.

I use my old OG Droid, in its dock, as my bedside clock, so I don’t need to use a dock with my Galaxy Nexus, but if this ends up costing, say, $30, I might give it a try.

Say what?

Kellen, why are you confused that the dock doesn’t support adb or HDMI out? The only connections being made are through the 3 pins and not the data enabled micro usb on the bottom of the phone. Did you really think data would transfer through the pins?

GNEX(MOTOX)

actually yea.. it can’t use adb etc cause they’re just pins.. to charge from not hooked into the motherboard.. so yea .:(

Skyskioc

Cant wait to see this on OVERSTOCK.COM ! Thats what Im talking about. Probably gonna be $29.99 soon

Jdstell

We should go occupy Samsung until they reduce the price of this dock.

PSU_DI

Kellex, do you have an MHL adapter, I’d love to know if I could use that for HDMI. If it does work through the pogo pins I’d be happy with it.

I do just love how samsung is implying that you will break your phone’s charging port if you don’t use this dock…

“The pogo pins increase the longevity of your device as well as
you’ll refrain from placing stress on the phone connector every time you
plug in to charge”

this is a direct quote from samsung’s website, decoded from sales talk it means, buy this dock or your phone will break because our usb charging ports are crappy

chudilo

If they think the microUSB should not be stressed, they should’ve included this with the phone! I already paid for the Extended battery that should have been included with the phone in the first place! There is no way this should be over $30-$40

There is no way I’m paying more than $40 for this, no matter how convenient it might be. $30 is reasonable, $40 is steep, $90 is highway robbery.

Ken Price

A lot of people having problems with it. It does not go into dock mode when the phone is inserted, and since it is not in dock mode, the audio line out does not work either.

chudilo

I call BS on this statement. that would require a lot of people to have actually purchased this stupid thing for $90 and I won’t believe that either.

fartbubbler

I have two, and mine work perfectly. Every time.

jodytamar

mine does not go into dock mode, or start the clock app. considering i have been reading that if it goes into car/dock mode, the external speaker is disabled, i’m GLAD it doesn’t! i’ve long since stopped using a regular alarm clock, and just use my phone (although i had to find the D2 sound files in order to get an alarm loud enough to actually wake me, since all the sounds pre-loaded on the GN are worthless to me). i just plop it into the dock, start the clock app. fortunately, the clock app has a dimmer function when you tap the screen, since you can’t get to the power button (dur. i call design flaw!), so at least i won’t annoy my husband with a brightly lit phone on my nightstand!

Gottheguds112

I am having the same issue. Any fixes, or responses from Samsung on this matter?

EC8CH

One a related note:

What the hell does an internet blogger need to get up at 7:05 in the morning for?!?

Thought all you guys slept in till noon 😛

Benjamin Mackie

Re read the reviews, this thing is terrible.
Cons:
-Have to take case off to use
-No built in speakers (comeon, even the HTC Rhyme’s dock had built in speakers)
-No file transfer/pc support
-No MHL support via device

How come no one talks about the battery charger you can buy through Verizon? It comes with an extra battery and will charge the device and the spare simultaneously. It will even hold the device in portrait or landscape. It’s a great option for people having battery issues. When you get home from work, just pop in the spare and keep rollin’.

Do you know if you can charge it with a car charger? I’d love to use it in my car just to charge a second battery

GawkerRedesignSucks

Probably. It just plugs into a USB chord. There are a lot of USB car adapters.

Benjamin Mackie

$90? Are you kidding me? If it had HDMI out, MAYBE, but thats just absurd

Derek Stiles

The only reason I would buy that is if, when I connect it to my TV/monitor/pc, Ubuntu boots up. Otherwise this is perfect enough for me: http://www.staples.com/Staples-Black-Wire-Mesh-Business-Card-Holder/product_920019

Kaufkin

works for me – Only Criticism I would say is vibrate mode on that would be a PITA. I’d put a rubber liner on it to cut the vibe. (shelf liner would do great…) probably has a sku on staples.com, but I’m too lazy to look it up. OTOH, going to go shopping later…

EC8CH

One plus to this dock is you can use it to stream over bluetooth to an audio system while not actually in the dock.

Still not worth $90, but an added bonus over a typical dock that uses the usb port for charging.

Kellen, stop saying “you can’t have HDMI for whatever reason”. You know the reason. HDMI (MHL) requires at least 4 pins. For that matter, so does adb or data transfer. Charging requires 2, audio requires 3 — that is why those two work. We have known this forever.

EC8CH

I think audio is actually over bluetooth if it works similar to the original 3pin Nexus One dock:

USB requires 4 pins, so you can’t get normal USB functions over 3. I would love for you to pull this $90 thing apart so we can figure out what is connected to that 3rd pin. Are they using SPDIF for audio? Is there some kind of communication to tell the GN that it is in the dock? There must be some IC in there…

TheRealBeesley

I need one of these for work so bad. I listen to music and podcasts 8 hrs a day and I need to quickly unplug my phone and go about 6 times a day. So I might be able to justify the $90 for this. Put aside $45 this week, $45 next week.. done deal. I know its pricey, but I think I’m one of the few who could justify the price right now based on what I need it for. Hmm…. decisions.

fartbubbler

I’m in the same boat. Sit at my desk almost all day long and use my phone to stream Pandora, Gmusic, etc. I splurged and actually got two. Used a gift card I had from the in-laws from Christmas.

Really, as much as I will use it- all day, every day, it was (sort of) justifiable.

Also thinking about all the wear and tear and plugging and unplugging of the USB port.

lamenting

I would buy it if it had HDMI out and a built-in 1850mAh battery.

Shane Smith

Does the Dock come with another AC power cord?

fartbubbler

just posted above- the dock is supposed to come with the power cord. Mine didn’t, but I called Sammy, and she pulled up my order #, and the item #, and said that the dock is supposed to come with the power cord.

When I can dock my GNex and use Ubuntu on the desktop then sign me up.

David

Check out the Tizen.org project. Supposedly they are developing a replacement OS for Android devices. Not entirely sure what makes it different from MIUI or Cyanogen mod, other than perhaps it will match their OS for a bunch of other devices – all Linux-based.

Just Woke Up

Morning voice?

garbagedick

did it come with a power cord as well?

fartbubbler

mine didn’t! But I called Samsung immediately, and she said that it was supposed to, so I’ll be getting mine shipped out to me.

Jeremy Edwards

It’d be worth $35 if it did HDMI, real USB, and audio jack.

Rob Becker

$25 max

EC8CH

K:

I assume you are running Nova Launcher? I wonder if the stock launcher would go into landscape mode while docked since to my knowledge the stock android launcher doesn’t have a landscape orientation.

Binglut9

Yes it would

EC8CH

Really? All the press shots I saw before hand showed the homescreen still in portrait orientation while in the dock.

Bill Anderson

The stock launcher does have a landscape mode. I can confirm connnecting a MHL-HDMI adapter to get your phone on a TV, puts it in landscape. I assume the same happens with the dock.

–Bill

EC8CH

Not that I’ll ever use the stock launcher…. but good to know. thanks.

1bad69z28

Here’s the cable and what someone else did. Really cool thinking of doing this myself, I found the cable on Amazon for around 12 bucks.

I wonder when this is going to arrive at verizon stores, I might buy it if I could get mine 25% off

D Mccut

Does anyone know if the MHL adapter works with this dock? That would fix the HDMI issue but still spending more money then should be.

EC8CH

no way hdmi is passed through the 3 pogo pins.

CORYK333

Disclaimer: I dont mean this in a bad/sarcastic way at all.
When is DLife gonna start cutting you a check for always responding to questions & commenting respectfully 10+ times on all posts??? Been going on since waaaaay back & never in a “troll-like” manner. Come on Kellex, give this guy a spot in the DL crew, recognition is due!

EC8CH

HA.. thanks.

Don’t know about the never a troll-like manner though. Made my share of enemies on DL, but I hope I’ve made more people laugh than I’ve pissed off.

1bad69z28

I am waiting for you to start up your “Dear Verizon Letters” again lol those were classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1bad69z28

EC8CH has been on the payroll since I was a member back in 09, lol he’s an old timer and he remembers when Geroge Lucas was just kicking around the term “Droid” for Star Wars back in the 70’s LMAO!!!!!!

Can’t relate with this any more. I am so ready for that car dock already.

SecurityNick

I tried to click the like button about 40 times and it doesn’t work.

Michael Forte

Same here. Never really cared about these kind of docks. Just give me a decent car dock!

1bad69z28

I am driving/selling a friends Toyota Yaris, since he and his family relocated to Germany. I am now thinking of buying this cool comuter car from him because it get 40 mpg. Yeah, that’s right 40 mpg!!!

Anyway, the Yaris has a 3.5mm jack in the console for ipod connectivity, so of course I connected my Galaxy Nexus and not only can I play music from my Nexus but the phone integration works rally great. My wife called and it was like wow she was sitting right next to me.

I am wondering if anyone else has tried this in their vehicle??? Or any other type of integration of using their Android device. The navigation and speech recognition works flawlessly too.

I bought the 3.5mm cable at Radio Shack (both ends have the 3.5mm ends) for $12. Just curious to hear about others using something similar or a car dock that ties into your radio and uses your car speakers.

dmoulton

I have been doing this with my Original Droid and now my Galaxy Nexus for about 2 years. I had to add input jacks to both my cars, but it has worked great since doing that. I talk on the phone hands free and it pauses Rdio for me when I make a call or one comes in.

1bad69z28

Man, wow I should’ve been doing the same lol I actually tried to see if my Jeep Wrangler had the output jack on my aftermarket radio and it didn’t about a yar ago so I was bummed and thinking of buying another radio. but if I can just instal output jacks then that would work as well.:)

dmoulton

I used this: http://goo.gl/tdRND in both cases. It plugs into the antennae jack at the back of the car stereo. Its not ideal, and there is some static, but all in all I’m pleased.

1bad69z28

Cool, that could be something I could use for my Jeep, thanks for the idea 🙂

Philip A. Kaiser

All of a sudden I am not looking so silly using a tape adapter in my benz.. lol!

1bad69z28

@Philip A. Kaiser, A cassette adapter?? Your not talking about one of those cassettes that fools the cassette deck to play the ipod are you lol man if you are you need to get an putput jack installed 🙂 My wife had something similar to that with a bunch of wires coming out of her lexus. I told her to get rid of all of that crap . too many wires.

She got rid of the old Lexus and we know have an Audi All Road and again ahe spent like 200 for some adpter kit that had to be installed specially becuase of the Audi electronics for her ipod. I was just shaking my head lol

LionStone

Hope you didn’t get rid of the Z28!!

AlexKCMO

This is what I do with my Droid X and car dock. It looks kind of stupid, but it works really really really well.

1bad69z28

It may look stupid but just htink it cost us pretty cheap to utilize an output jack, some companies out there that I’ve researched on htis will charge you an arm and a leg for their system and you’ll have to have sombody to install a radio or some sort of kit for 300 buck or something. for 12 I can have full access to my device w/ hands free navigation, speech recognition and music playing in my car for cheap.

Now if I can customize a car dock that’s light, sturdy, looks cool and can swivel then that would be something lol 🙂

I have an older Honda CR-V with a tape player but no CD player. This would have been a problem in the past, but I got a tape-to-3.5mm adapter for like $10 at Target and use it to play music through the car speakers, it works like a champ. For calls, though, I still use my bluetooth headset.

TC Infantino

I have a Dodge Caliber and did the same thing. I first did it with the OG Droid, the suction cup windo mount from Verizon, and some modifications. I removed the suction cup from the rest of the mount at the hinge, then took out my center console and bolted the arm of the mount into a pocket that is under the factory radio, which is also where I routed the charging wire and the Aux 3.5 wire. The dock holds the phone right under the radio and within easy reach. And I was very lucky in that the Rezound car dock had the same type of slide in clip on the back as the OG Droid dock, so I just bought the Rezound car dock and used the dock/cradle from that and attached it to the arm that was already installed in my center console. Works great through the cars stereo, and as a hands free phone as well. Only thing better would be a custom radio that allowed you to dock the phone directly into it and gave you full integration and a 7″ touch screen on the front of the radio that mirrored the phones screen.

1bad69z28

I htink its great that a lot of the members here have found alternate ways to make thier device work in their vehicles and NOT pay hundreds of dollars doing . Maybe kellex should do a story on this topic 🙂

Tabe

Let me know when you have a hands-on with the vehicle dock….

Levi Wilcox

They are not making a 3 pin vehicle dock. Better bit the bullet and get that plastic hunk of crap at verizon.

Gerret Walczak

I’ll wait for the “we have a bunch of these in inventory because we overpriced them and nobody bought any” sale.

It’s weird though because the Nexus One had the same three pins, but it’s dock used bluetooth for the audio.

With the dock plugged in can you turn your phone’s bluetooth on, and without the phone in the dock search for bluetooth devices? Does it see the dock as a device? If it doesn’t that should verify that the dock doesn’t even have a bluetooth receiver in it.

Thanks….

Levi Wilcox

I don’t see it listed at all and there’s no FCC certification for the dock which is a pretty good indication that it doesn’t have a radio in it.

Levi Wilcox

Was a charging cord included when you got your dock or did you have to use your own?

mortodestructo

Have to use your own :/

Gottheguds112

Kellex, what Android vesion were you using for this demo?
I’m on 4.0.2 rooted stock and the device never enters dock mode but it does charge, audio out also doesn’t work. Just wondering if this is software based? Samsung reps have no info on it.

Jaguar12

I was on version 4.0.2 and my dock wouldn’t activate either. I have just recently took the plunge and updated to 4.0.4 and can verify that dock mode is now working.

4n1m4L

too late now.

Benjamin Chow

Me too. $90 is a bit much.

M1ghtysauc3

Echo?

Noyfb

For that much money it should have external speakers on the dock to amplify the music and alarms. It is just a glorified battery charger.